Taxes

News about Taxes, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 11, 2015

The Upshot; memo released by International Monetary Fund regarding Greek crisis, suggesting eurozone members be more generous with one another, essentially makes case that eurozone should be more like United States; such a move would make countries like Netherlands occupy status that Connecticut does in the US, namely as an area from which central government collects more taxes in order to redistribute wealth to areas that are less well-off. MORE

Jul. 11, 2015

Editorial refutes presidential candidate Rand Paul's plan to overhaul federal tax system by instituting 14.5 percent flat tax; argues plan would result in estimated loss of between $1 trillion and $15 trillion over decade; adds that it would benefit only wealthiest citizens, while low- and middle-income people would be unaffected or harmed; submits flat tax might be feasible if it is acknowledged as value-added tax and supplemented by progressive fiscal system, but latter is not part of Paul's vision. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

The Upshot; analysis of Republican presidential contender Sen Rand Paul's new proposal for what he calls business-activity tax for consumption of goods and services. MORE

Jun. 13, 2015

Republican-led Legislature in Kansas agrees to pass tax increase to help fill $400 million budget gap, ending several weeks of bitter gridlock that has exasperated state and its lawmakers. MORE

Jun. 7, 2015

Editorial welcomes call from European oil companies BG Group, BP, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil and Total for tax on carbon emissions; underscores many benefits of such a tax, for both business and the environment; urges world leaders gathering in Paris to discuss climate change agreement to aggressively pursue carbon tax policy. MORE

Jun. 5, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column points out that Texas, state that held itself up as economic miracle, is in midst of an economic stumble, providing yet another demonstration that tax cuts for wealthy will not lead to economic prosperity; notes Texas's troubles stem from decline in oil prices; expresses hope that example of Texas, and of Kansas alongside, will one day lead Republicans to abandon idea of tax cuts as cure-all. MORE

May. 30, 2015

Republican-led Legislature in Kansas appears ready to yield to fact that there is no way to bridge $400 million budget deficit without raising taxes, notion that many state lawmakers have vehemently rejected until now; only questions remaining are which taxes to raise. MORE

May. 27, 2015

Editorial calls on New York State Legislature to regain focus in wake of scandals involving leaders of each house; recommends several issues that require its attention, including control of New York City's school system, adolescents in adult jails, campaign finance loopholes, affordable housing, Dream Act and taxation. MORE

May. 21, 2015

Editorial heralds International Monetary Fund report finding that global community could reduce premature deaths from air pollution by 55 percent by eliminating fossil fuel subsidies; notes elimination of such subsidies, which amount to some $5.3 trillion worldwide, would not only benefit human lives, but would also significantly reduce greenhouse gases due to decreased consumption. MORE

May. 19, 2015

Supreme Court ruling gives qualified immunity to two San Francisco police officers who shot mentally ill woman in 2008; votes 5-to-4 against state of Maryland in case involving collection of taxes from residents for income earned in other states; unanimously rules that gun owners who lose possession of firearms after felony convictions can have say in disposition of weapons; unanimously votes to tighten rules on filing fees for federal prisoners filing lawsuits. MORE

May. 10, 2015

Legal marijuana shops across United States are facing far higher taxes than other types of businesses due to decades-old law intended to prevent drug dealers from deducting smuggling costs from their taxes; situation reflects disconnect between expanding legalization of marijuana and federal bureaucracy that still criminalizes marijuana. MORE

Apr. 29, 2015

NFL's league office will drop tax-exempt status in face of mounting criticism; shift means league will no longer have to publicly disclose its tax returns, including salaries of top executives. MORE

Apr. 6, 2015

Editorial calls on Colorado voters, should a ballot measure come from Legislature, to undo Taxpayer's Bill of Rights adopted in 1992 that is now forcing state to refund tax revenue gleaned from legalized marijuana industry; observes while lawmakers are working towards short-term fix that would keep $58 million in marijuana tax revenue for education and other worthy purposes, a long term solution is required, and up to voters. MORE

Mar. 27, 2015

Ireland, in effort to resolve its debts, is raising taxes and introducing new ones, latest being water fees; residents, who have been laid off and have seen their health and welfare benefits, are fed up with austerity policies and have begun mass protest campaign. MORE

Mar. 24, 2015

Op-Ed article by former Obama administration officials David J Hayes and James H Stock warns of federal government's failure to collect fair taxpayer value from coal, made even more troubling by impact of burning coal on climate change; calls on Interior Dept to raise price for taxpayer-owned coal to account for greenhouse gas burden. MORE

Mar. 17, 2015

The Upshot; Tax Foundation analysis of tax plan proposed by Sens Marco Rubio and Mike Lee suggests that by lowering taxes, it will create revenue by freeing business investment, finding that most economists reject; analysis is nevertheless important because it uses so-called 'dynamic scoring,' which credits legislation for likely macroeconomic effects, requirement enacted by Republicans in House for all analyses of tax bills by Congressional Budget Office. MORE

Mar. 14, 2015

Ann Carrns Your Money Adviser column offers tips for filing taxes for families that employ babysitters, in-home caregivers or housekeepers, who may be considered employees rather than independent contractors. MORE

Feb. 22, 2015

Ross Douthat Op-Ed column suggests that best test for Republican presidential candidate to distinguish himself from rest of field is by proposals for taxes and health care; notes it is not coincidental that policy test is one Republicans have repeatedly failed during Pres Obama's tenure. MORE

Feb. 20, 2015

Congress wants to permanently ban taxes on high-speed Internet service. But will the F.C.C.’s plan for utility-style regulation open a door to new charges? MORE

Jan. 30, 2015

Editorial opposes Republican proposal to repeal tax on medical devices as part of effort to dismantle Affordable Care Act by depriving it of source of funding; refutes industry claims that tax will lead to loss of jobs and reduced spending on research; notes tax is projected to raise $29 billion over 10 years and holds to repeal it would be damaging to United States budget and to health reform. MORE

Jan. 25, 2015

At least eight Republican governors have proposed raising taxes in order to address budget deficits and take care of constituent demands that have grown in urgency after years of budget cuts; in some cases, governors have reneged on pledges to cut taxes; while shift is striking when compared to unflinching Republican position on taxes in Washington, change is due more to practical considerations than any philosophical disagreement. MORE

Jan. 18, 2015

Administration officials say Pres Obama will ask Congress during his State of the Union address to raise taxes and fees on wealthiest taxpayers to pay for tax cuts on the middle class; plan faces long odds in new Republican Congress, whose leaders oppose raising taxes; move is seen as start of debate that will cohere Obama's legacy and 2016 presidential campaign. MORE

Jan. 14, 2015

Washington Gov Jay Inslee is seeking largest increase in new tax dollars in state's history, proposing $1.4 billion in new revenue from new capital gains tax and cap-and-trade carbon tax to curb global warming. MORE

Jan. 14, 2015

Eduardo Porter Economic Scene column examines unforeseen costs related to tax and spending cuts, in light of new Republican majority in Congress; cites reduced Medicaid spending as example, noting that short-term financial benefits are undercut by long-term health costs due to poor care, and reduced long-term tax revenue; argues essential problem is many voters do not truly understand what they get from government spending. MORE

Dec. 18, 2014

The Upshot; idea that generous welfare benefits and high taxes will lead fewer people to work is supported by both economic theory and intuition, but Scandinavian countries may prove argument wrong; some of the highest employment rates in the advanced world are in countries like Denmark, which, like its neighbors, has very high taxes and a very generous welfare system. MORE

Nov. 19, 2014

Eduardo Porter Economic Scene column holds that despite technological innovations, investment in alternative power generation is lagging; contends a carbon tax could trim carbon emissions on a meaningful scale, but solution remains off the table; points out economists say such a tax would offer by far the most effective way to reduce use of fossil fuels and invest in alternative energy sources. MORE

Nov. 7, 2014

Fiscal and economic policy is brought back to center stage by wave of Republican midterm election victories, with Pres Obama and new congressional leadership expressing hope that they can reach deals to simplify tax code, promote trade and eliminate budget deficit; fiscal responsibility and tax overhaul are vows that unite all wings of GOP coalition, but there are deep differences between party leaders and Obama administration. MORE

Nov. 5, 2014

Eduardo Porter Economic Scene column contends redistributing income with taxes and transfers is largely failing to close America's income gap; says it might be addressed at level of the corporation, not by government, and that voters say companies could do more to attack income gap. MORE

Nov. 1, 2014

Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary says that his government will abandon, at least for now, a proposed tax on Internet usage that drew tens of thousands of demonstrators to the streets; protest organizers, who had charged that proposed tax was attempt by Orban’s right-wing government to choke off one of the last sources of information not controlled by him and his allies, call for victory celebrations across country. MORE

Oct. 6, 2014

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column warns that the pernicious, Reagen-era notion of trickle-down economics is experiencing a resurgence as Republicans move to retake legislative majorities in November elections; discredits notion that lowering taxes on the wealthy will lead to widespread prosperity, noting that they were debunked long ago. MORE

Aug. 19, 2014

Pres Obama’s appetite for the use of executive order on issues like immigration, tax policy and gay rights has emboldened activists to flock to the administration with their policy wish lists; it also has exposed Obama, already facing charges of executive overreach, to criticism that he is presiding over opaque policy-making, with the potential to reward political backers at the expense of other interests. MORE

Aug. 8, 2014

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column cites growing evidence that raising taxes on the rich to help the poor may well raise, not lower, the economy's growth rate, due to the extremity of American inequality; maintains this new view of inequality should change the country's political debate. MORE

Jul. 25, 2014

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column contends California's economic rebound shows that anti-government propaganda should be viewed with skepticism; notes that state's tax increases did not lead to economic collapse that some confidently predicted; maintains California shows that extremist ideology still dominating much of American politics is nonsense. MORE

Jul. 3, 2014

Nicolas Kristof Op-Ed column contends nation is at the point where it would be better paying bit more in taxes and getting better and less congested roads; asserts the anti-tax crusaders love to oppose taxation without representation, but important public investments deserve their due on July Fourth. MORE

Jun. 23, 2014

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column asserts that across-the-board carbon tax, while arguably one of best responses to climate change, is unlikely to happen; contends that several 'second best' policies exist to tackle problem; questions whether environmentally-minded Republicans, like former Treasury Sec Henry Paulson, are willing to accept all the messy negotiations that second best implies. MORE

Jun. 21, 2014

Washington Memo; candidates in both Democratic and Republican Parties who are running for seats in Congress have pressed the pause button on advancing their own tax plans; reasons are partly practical, but philosophical shifts have also played a role. MORE

Jun. 11, 2014

Internal Revenue Service unveils a Taxpayer Bill of Rights that is intended to ensure the rights to privacy, confidentiality and a fair appeals process in dealings with the agency. MORE

Jun. 7, 2014

Gail Collins Op-Ed column compares Republican Rep Dave Camp to the Hobbit in that he has taken on brave quest in search of way to make tax system cleaner and simpler; notes that Camp's first effort, principled proposal that eliminated number of loopholes, was shot down by fellow Republicans; expresses bafflement that Camp responded to rebuke by making number of tax cuts permanent. MORE

May. 26, 2014

Editorial warns New York Sen Charles Schumer's plan to outsource collection of unpaid back taxes to private debt collectors is not likely to result in substantial revenue gain after administrative costs of scheme are factored in; points to similar effort by government, carried out between 2006 and 2009, that resulted in net loss; holds that tax-debt collection is inherent government function, and calls for provision to be struck from tax bill. MORE

May. 23, 2014

Jersey City sues Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, seeking more than $300 million in unpaid taxes on properties authority owns in the city; tone of remarks made by Jersey City Mayor Steven M Fulop about suit reflect how poorly the city fared in its attempt to reach agreement with the Port Authority. MORE

May. 11, 2014

Brothers Robert Nordhaus, a prominent Washington energy lawyer, and William Nordhaus, a Yale economist, are profoundly shaping how the United States and other nations take on global warming; both believe cutting carbon pollution is critical to protecting environment and economy from risks posed by climate change, and both call for carbon tax. MORE

May. 10, 2014

Federal lawsuit is challenging Washington State’s authority to tax marijuana as long as marijuana remains illegal under federal law. MORE

May. 9, 2014

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column investigates list of the 25 highest-paid hedge fund managers and lessons it offers on the roots of income inequality; criticizes myth that wealth is attainable by those who are educated and work hard, and that such wealth trickles down through job creation; calls for a return to high taxes on big incomes and large fortunes. MORE

Apr. 20, 2014

Slovakia has introduced a new lottery to encourage average citizens to collect receipts from their purchases and register them with the government, creating paper trail for transactions and forcing business owners to pay any sales taxes they owe; those who register their receipts get a chance to win prizes; move comes as Slovakia's revenue from value-added taxes has declined. MORE

Apr. 15, 2014

Social Security Administration says it will stop trying to collect taxpayers' debts that are more than 10 years old. MORE

Apr. 11, 2014

Treasury Department reports surge in tax revenue and decline in spending; notes that federal budget deficit for first half of 2014 fiscal year totaled $413 billion, down $187 billion from where it stood at same period in 2013; rise points to rejuvenated upper class and recovering stock market. MORE

Apr. 8, 2014

Lawmakers in Tennessee vote to repeal state’s so-called jock tax, which charges opposing professional athletes a tax when they visit for games. MORE

Mar. 27, 2014

Nicholas Kristof Op-Ed column lists tax loopholes that allow wealthy to write off expensive items and subsidies to banks and corporations; compares such subsides to wasteful, initiative-sapping government assistance programs that Republicans oppose; urges legislators to scale back handouts to wealthy, rather than assistance to poor. MORE